Vertical hitchpins ?

[Ron Nossaman]

>  A question  on vertical hitch pins which Ive installed throughout the 
> bass bridge and transition bridge. 
>  
>  1-When you adjust the hitch loop height with vertical hitchpins, do you do it 
> at tension, or must the  tension be lowered?

At tension. The loop height on the hitch determines the 
bearing angle, which determines the bearing load on the 
bridge, which determines the deflection of the soundboard, 
which determines loop height to get the bearing you want, etc.


>  2-I made a simple brass tool tool to tap the loop down.  I initially set the 
> loop height at the maximum on the theory that its easier to make adjustments 
> going down to the plate rather than coming up from the plate. 

So far so good.


> However, how do you bring the loop up on the pin?  In some places I can lever it 
> up, but only in a couple places, and I really  don't want to do that anyway 
> because it destroys the plate finish.  I was thinking about Joe Goss's impact 
> coil lifter, as a solution, but I dont have his tool and I doubt it would fit 
> behind most of the hitchpins...they are really close to the rim.

I made an impact lifter when I strung my first Accujust 
equipped Baldwin. I've also pried them up with a screwdriver 
with a sliver of maple underneath to protect the plate. If 
there's no other way you can find, let tension down on one 
string at a time and slide the loop up, then restore tension.


>  3-The word is that the maximum height of the loop off plate seems to be 5mm.  
> Will the strings be pitch stable at that 5 mm height?.  
> 
>  Jim I

Why wouldn't they be?
Ron N